Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers decreased by 0.8% quarter-to-quarter to MOP631 in the first quarter of 2014, and the average daily wage of local construction workers was MOP790, down by 1.7%.

The average daily wage of unskilled workers was MOP377, up by 5.3% quarter-to-quarter, while that of skilled & semi-skilled workers was MOP640, down by 0.3%. Analysed by occupation, the average daily wage of electricians & electrical workers decreased by 12.2% quarter-to-quarter to MOP612 on account of an increase in semi-skilled workers, and that of concreters & drainlayers dropped by 9.4% to MOP575 due to a decline in demand; meanwhile, average daily wage of plant operators increased by 11.7%, at MOP861.

After discounting the effect of inflation, wage index of construction workers (90.7) increased by 0.4% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, with the indices of plant operators and structural iron erectors rising by 9.7% and 6.9%, but that of electricians & electrical workers falling by 13.8%. Meanwhile, wage index of local construction workers (110.1) decreased by 0.5% quarter-to-quarter in real terms.

As regards construction materials, average prices of concrete and spiral & round reinforcing steel bars increased by 4.9% and 1.0% respectively quarter-to-quarter, at MOP615 per cubic metre and MOP5,124 per tonne in the first quarter of 2014. Meanwhile, the price index of construction materials for residential buildings (127.2) in the first quarter of 2014 increased by 2.6% quarter-to-quarter.